Renaissence
by Frontline
Summary: After picking up strange radio signals from near Zaofu, Team Avatar discovers a portal that leads to a futuristic world that is very different from their own...
1. Chapter 1

**All characters and concepts are the property of their respective owners. No copyright infringement is intended, or profit made, from this work of fiction.**

 _Future Industries airship JHX-2-3_

 _Approximately 3 kilometres southwest of Zaofu_

Captain Nan Chong-Yol stood on the bridge, with his hands clasped behind his back. They were on the last leg of their journey from Ba Sing Sae and he was looking forward to getting back to Republic City. A former officer in the United Forces, he was used to being away from home for extended periods, but what he really wanted a hot bath and a few nights in his own bed. He was interrupted in his musings by Tae-Hyun, a thin-faced man who was seated at the communications post, one hand pressed to his headset.

'Captain,' He said, without looking round. 'I'm picking up some odd signals...'

'Let's hear it,' Chong-Yol said and Tae-Hyun flipped a switch on his console.

' _Unit 42, responding to a 10-37 at junction of 4423 and 67-A... Acknowledged, Delta-47. Commence checklist for lightspeed...President Lindberg will address the people of the Federated Territories in just over an hour...This is a police control. This is not an exercise. Please place your hands in the yellow circles...'_

'Stop all engines, Si-U' Chong-Yol said, glancing over at his pilot, a grey haired man with calloused hands and a serious expression. 'Tae-Hyun, contact Ms Sato...'

 _##################_

Asami Sato was sitting behind her desk, with a cup of tea next to her, reviewing the latest reports from her research division. Raven-haired with porcelain skin, she was dressed in a dark grey suit jacket and trousers. She had just finished the last report, sitting back and massaging her neck with a groan, when the intercom on her deck buzzed.

'Yes, Sun-Ji?'

' _Ms Sato, I have the Captain of JHX-2 on the radio...'_

'Put him through,' Asami said and the intercom crackled.

' _Ms Sato...'_

'Good afternoon, Nan,' Asami said. 'What can I do for you...?'

' _Ms Sato, we've picked up some strange transmissions from around Zaofu. I'm transmitting a sample to you, now...'_

The intercom crackled again and Asami leant closer.

' _...all units, 10-55 in progress in Sector 62. All available units to respond...come to Phloston Paradise for a vacation that you'll remember forever...this is Ruby Rhod, your main man, coming to you live at five...'_

'...thank you, Nan,' Asami said. 'Continue with your schedule. I'll take it from here...'

' _Yes, Ms Sato,'_ Nan said, Asami switching channels on the intercom.

'Sun-Ji? Radio ahead to the harbour and tell them to prepare my boat. I need to go to Air Temple Island...'

 _##################_

Republic City is one of the largest cities in the world, a modern metropolis of high-rise buildings and cutting edge industry, home to over a million people. However, in this bustling city, there is a place that is a reminder of a much earlier time. In the middle of Yue Bay sits Air Temple Island, a secluded monastery of an ancient order, the Airbenders. Near the top of the monastery is the Meditation Garden, where two people are standing. One is Master Tenzin, a tall, bald-headed man dressed in orange robes. The other is a dark-skinned young woman with short black hair, wearing a light blue tunic and dark grey trousers.

'I can't believe it's been nearly 3 months since Kuvira's attack,' she said, as she leant against the railing, looking out over the city. 'Although, it's not like a giant robot is the strangest thing this city's seen...'

'President Raiko's been working hard to organise the restoration, Korra,' Tenzin said. 'He's even donated some of his personal funds...'

'First decent thing he's ever done,' Korra muttered, just as an orange-robed Air Acolyte climbed the steps to the Garden.

'Master Tenzin,' He said, bowing deeply. 'Excuse the intrusion, but there is a boat approaching the harbour...'

 _##################_

'Hello, Master Tenzin,' Asami said, as she descended the steps from her boat to the dock.

'Good to see you again, Asami,' Tenzin said, inclining his head as Korra stepped past him to enfold her in a hug.

'Hey,' she said, giving her a quick kiss on the lips. 'Couldn't wait until tonight, huh...?'

'No,' Asami said, with a quick grin. 'However, there's something I need to show you...'

 _##################_

' _...unit 10-47, requesting back-up at Golden Plaza... orbital control to RS-4. Do you have visual on the target...?'_

'These messages were detected from around Zaofu,' Asami said, as she switched off the recorder.

'What do they mean?' Korra asked and Asami shook her head.

'I don't know. But, they're not broadcasting on any frequency used by the United Forces or any of the major cities...'

'So, what? Should we tell someone? President Raiko? Or General Iroh?'

'So far, we don't know anything,' Asami said. 'We need to find out more...'

'I agree,' Tenzin said. 'We need to investigate these transmissions and Zaofu will make an excellent base of operations...'

'And, how are we going to get there?' Korra asked and Asami grinned.

'I have an idea...'

 _##################_

'Here we are,' Asami said, flipping on the lights to illuminate the hanger where a slender, sleek airship sat. The nose was long and pointed, two swept back wings curving alongside the smooth hull.

'The _Renaissance,_ ' Asami said. 'She's completed her final tests and I've been waiting for a chance for her maiden voyage. A trip to Zaofu would be a perfect test and it'll give us a cover story for why we're there...'

'Agreed,' Tenzin said and Korra grinned.

'Looks like Team Avatar is back...'

 _##################_

Mako stood in the centre of the charred room, while two armoured police officers stood guard outside the door. With their domed helmets and dark grey metal armour, they were an intimidating sight. Behind him, the police photographer moved quietly around the room, the flash of his camera bulb occasionally illuminating the smoke blackened walls. Tall and brooding, Mako was dressed in his dark grey uniform, the gold emblem of the police force emblazoned on his breast.

'What do we know, sergeant?' He asked, turning to the bald-headed Officer next to him, standing at attention with his helmet tucked under his arm.

'The room is...was rented to a Mr Lamont Belloso. According to the owner of the block, he was a clerk at the Republic City bank...'

'Did he have any enemies?' Mako asked and the sergeant snorted.

'I'd say that was a fair conclusion, sir,' he said and Mako grinned.

'Good point,' he conceded, just as one of the officers called from the door.

'Sir. There's...someone to speak to you...'

Mako glanced over his shoulder to see Korra standing in the corridor.

'Finish up here, sergeant,' Mako said, turning and ducking under the black and yellow tape across the door.

'Hey...'

'Hi, Mako,' Korra said. 'What...happened here...?'

'...arson case...'

'...oh...what about the guy who lived here...?'

'He's still inside,' Mako said, glancing over at the blanket in the corner and Korra paled.

'...oh...'

'Yeah. Anyway, I'm guessing this isn't a social call...'

'Mako...'

'Hey, no. I didn't mean that. We've both been busy since Kuvira's attack. So...what's up...?'

'We've...picked up some strange messages from near Zaofu. We don't know what we're going to find, so...'

'I'm in,' Mako said. 'I'll need to speak to Chief Beifong, though...'

'Thanks, Mako,' Korra said. 'Meet us at Future Industries tomorrow morning...'

 _##################_

'I need to go to Zaofu for a few days,' Tenzin said, as he sat down at the table opposite Pema. Next to her sat Ikki, Jinora, Milo and Rohan, all dressed in the same yellow and orange robes.

'Tenzin...' Pema began.

'It's important, Pema,' Tenzin said and Pema pursed her lips.

'I know, Tenzin. Of course you have to go. And we're going to come with you...'

'It could be dangerous, Pema...'

'I'm your wife, Tenzin. I'm not going to hide away in this Temple for the rest of my life...'

'It's safe here, Pema...'

'It wasn't last year,' Pema said. 'Or when the Equalists attacked...'

'...alright,' Tenzin said, turning to his children. 'Pack what you need, everyone. We'll be leaving in the morning...'

'Yahoo,' Milo said, charging out of the room, followed at a more sedate pace by Jinora, Ikki and Rohan...

 _##################_

Korra felt a flash of nostalgia as she stepped into the pro-bending arena, the roar of the crowd surrounding her. For a second, she had a flashback to walking into the arena for the first time with Mako and Bolin and she grinned to herself.

 _Seems like only yesterday..._

With an effort, she shook herself out of her thoughts, as the voice of the announcer cut through the cheers.

' _What a game this is turning out to be, folks. The Tigerdillos have put up a fierce defence, but it looks like the Fire Ferrets have this one in the bag...'_

Even under the bulky gear and helmets, she could recognise Bolin as he stepped forward, launching a rock disk that knocked one of the two remaining Tigerdillos into the water. Their waterbender followed up with a perfect headshot that sent their last player stumbling backwards off the platform.

' _And, there we have it. The Fire Ferrets win the match...'_

 _##################_

'So, let me get this straight,' Chief Beifong said, as she sat back. Her grey hair was pulled back into a tight bun and she had a faded scar across her cheek. 'The Avatar wants you to accompany her to Zaofu to discover the source of these strange signals...'

'Yes, Chief,' Mako said, standing to attention.

'...alright. On behalf of the Republic City Police Force, I'm authorising you to investigate...'

'...thank you, Chief...'

 _##################_

'You were great out there,' Korra said, as she followed Bolin into the locker room.

'Thanks. It feels like when you, me and Mako were...'

'It's okay, Bolin,' Korra said. 'We had a great season and it's not like I could have gone pro...'

'Yeah...'

'Anyway, I need your help. We've picked up some strange signals from around Zaofu and we're heading out in the morning. Can the team manage without you...?'

'Sure. We've got a new sponsor and we rotate players every few games, anyway. Right now, we're just playing exhibition matches. The championship doesn't start for six months...'

'Thanks, Bolin. Meet us at Future Industries tomorrow morning...'

 **Thank you for reading. I hope you enjoyed it. Any reviews, comments or constructive criticisms are very welcome.**


	2. Chapter 2

**All characters and concepts are the property of their respective owners. No copyright infringement is intended, or profit made, from this work of fiction.**

Korra lead the way down the ramp from the _Renaissance_ to the landing platform, where a man and woman dressed in green robes were waiting. The woman was tall and graceful, with a serious expression, while the man wore spectacles and a neatly trimmed beard.

'Welcome to Zaofu, Avatar Korra,' the woman said and Korra stepped forward, bowing with her hands clasped in front of her.

'Thank you, Suyin,' Korra said, and Suyin stepped forward to enfold her in a hug.

'It's good to see you all again,' she said, hugging Asami and shaking hands with Bolin and Mako, before turning to Tenzin.

'Greetings, Master Tenzin,' she said, taking Pema's hand and giving it a squeeze. 'It's good to finally meet you, Pema...'

'Thank you,' Pema said, with a smile and Suyin turned to Milo, Jinora, Ikki and Rohan.

'Hello,' she said. 'While you're here, I want you to think of this as your home...'

'Thank you,' Jinora said, as Milo stepped forward, looking up at her with a focused expression.

'You're nicer that Chief Beifong,' he said, Ikki stifling a laugh and Rohan rolled his eyes.

'Thank you,' Suyin said, as Tenzin cleared his throat.

'Do you have any more information?' He asked and Suyin nodded.

'We've been monitoring the situation since we received your message,' Suyin said. 'Please, follow me...'

She turned away and the others followed her, Korra glancing over her shoulder to see that Jinora was still standing on the landing platform.

'Jinora? You okay...?

'Hmm? Sorry, Korra. It's just...I felt something...' she said and Korra frowned.

'Like what...?'

'I'm not sure. Some strange, like a spirit portal, but different...'

'Alright,' Korra said, putting a hand on her shoulder. 'Come on. Whatever it is, we'll figure it out...'

#################

'This is our Operations Centre,' Suyin said, leading them into a circular room that was dominated by a large map table. Two dark-haired young men stood by the table, both dressed in similar robes to Suyin. 'You remember my eldest sons, Wei and Wing. They've been monitoring and recording the transmissions that we've received. Wei...'

'Judging by the strength of the signals, we've determined that the source is approximately 3 kilometres away. However, we have no way of knowing the direction of that source...'

'We might be able to help, there...' Asami said. 'We've got some prototype radio receivers onboard the _Renaissance_ that we can use to trace the source...'

'Could we listen to the transmissions you've recorded?' Mako asked. 'We might learn something from them...'

'Of course,' Suyin said and Korra turned to Jinora, putting a hand on her shoulder.

'We...might have another lead...'

#################

'You think it was a disturbance in the Spirit World?' Tenzin asked and Jinora nodded.

'I think so...'

'There's only one way to find out,' Korra said, as they entered the Meditation Garden. 'We'll need to enter the Spirit World...'

Sitting down with her legs crossed, Korra closed her eyes, taking a deep breath to slow her breathing and she felt the familiar sensation, like her body was falling away. When she opened her eyes again, she found herself standing next to Jinora and Tenzin on a green field, tall trees stretching above them.

'Where are we?' Tenzin asked and Korra shrugged.

'I'm...not sure...'

'We're near Wan Shi Tong's Library,' Jinora said. 'I think he might be able to help us...'

#################

' _Dispatch Central to FD-578. Warehouse fire in Quadrant Sierra-9...'_

' _Acknowledged, DC. FD-578 responding...'_

Hitting the stop button on the recorder, Bolin sat back with a groan as he took off his headset, tapping Mako on the shoulder, who held up his hand without looking round.

'Come on, Mako,' Bolin said. 'We've been doing this for two hours and we haven't learnt anything, except that this place has a lot going on...'

'Yeah,' Mako said, taking off his own headphones and sitting back. 'But, the number of messages tells us something. Since the Future Industries airship detected the first transmission, Zaofu has recorded over 5000 individual messages, which suggests that they're coming from a large city...'

'But, there's no other city around here other that Ba Sing Se and it's too far away to be the source. So, unless there's a hidden city around here, somewhere...'

'I think we'd have noticed, bro,' Mako said, with a grin. 'Hopefully, one of the messages will give us a clue...'

With a sigh, Bolin put his headset back on, pressing the play button again...

#################

'So, where is this Wan Shi Tong?' Korra asked as they stepped inside the library, looking around at the dusty shelves that stretched further than they could see.

'He'll be here,' Jinora said, just as there was a beat of wings and a black owl with a pale face landed in front of them. Twice as tall as Korra, his beak clicked as he looked from her to Tenzin, his eyes settling on Jinora, who bowed.

'Good day, Wan Shi Tong...'

'Jinora,' Wong Shi Tong said, turning his head to focus his eyes on her. 'What brings you back to my library...?'

'We have come to ask for your help,' Jinora said. 'These are my friends...'

'Avatar Korra and Master Tenzin,' Wan Shi Tong said. 'What help can I provide to the Avatar...?'

'We've been detecting strange signals in our world,' Korra said. 'And Jinora sensed a disturbance here in the Spirit World. Do you know anything about that...?'

'I may,' Wan Shi Tong said. 'However, I do not provide information for nothing. I will only trade it for knowledge of equal value...'

'This disturbance might threaten your world, too...' Korra began, but Jinora stepped forward.

'Right now, we don't know where these signals are coming from. No-one does. When we find out, we will share that information with you...'

'...very well,' Wan Shi Tong said. 'A human came here, bringing me information on the existence of another world separate from yours and mine. He traded this information for a scroll that he was searching for...'

'Do you know which scroll?' Tenzin asked and Wan Shi Tong clicked his beak, a raven fluttering over with a scroll clutched in it's feet. The raven dropped it on the table and Tenzin picked it up, removing the seal and unrolling it.

'What is it?' Korra asked and Tenzin turned towards her.

'Something...that concerns me. We need to return to Zaofu...'

#################

Korra opened her eyes to see Suyin sitting in front of her, a tray sitting on the ground next to her.

'Here,' she said, picking up the teapot on the tray and pouring three cups, handing one to Korra. 'You must be thirsty...'

'Thanks,' Korra said, accepting the cup as Suyin handed the others to Tenzin and Jinora.

'How long were we gone?' Tenzin asked.

'About two hours. Did you find anything?'

'Not sure,' Korra said. 'Tenzin...?'

'Perhaps,' Tenzin said. 'I need to check some of my books. I'll join you in the Operations Centre...'

#################

'Sorry I'm late,' Asami said, as she stepped into the Operations Centre. Korra, Mako, Bolin and Tenzin were already there, as well as Suyin, Wei and Wing. 'I was making some adjustments to the _Renaissance's_ radio receivers. What's going on...?'

'We went to Wan Shi Tong's Library in the Spirit World,' Tenzin said. He told us that a human came there looking for a scroll...'

'Just one scroll...?' Mako asked. 'What's so important about it...?'

'It contains an ancient Fire Nation legend,' Tenzin said. 'About a powerful firebender named Tacon who learnt how to open a portal to another world...'

'You mean...the Spirit World?' Bolin asked and Tenzin shook his head.

'No. Another human world, different from our own, but connected. Tacon was a firebender who had visions of this other world and he became obsessed with finding it. Determined to discover if his visions were true, he spent several months in the Spirit World, where he learnt that there were...weak points in the walls of the world. According to the legend, he found one of these weak points and opened the portal...'

'...Tenzin,' Suyin began. 'Are you saying that you think someone else has opened a portal to this...other world...?'

'We cannot discount the possibility...'

'Either way,' Korra said. 'We need to find where the signals are coming from. Everyone, get some sleep. We'll leave first thing tomorrow...'

#################

'These will be your rooms while you're here,' Suyin said, . 'They're...a little basic, but you should both be comfortable...'

'I...we...' Korra began, her cheeks heating up and Suyin smiled.

'It's alright, Korra. I'm happy for you and you have nothing to be ashamed of,' she said. 'I'll see you in the morning...'

#################

Tenzin tucked Milo in, slipping out and closing the door quietly behind him.

'They're all asleep,' he said as he crossed the hall to his room, where Pema was already in bed. Slipping out of his robe, he got into bed next to her as she shuffled over to make room for him.

'Do you think it's true?' She asked. 'That this...other world does exist...?'

'After everything we've seen, I cannot discount the possibility...'

'Hm. Either way, I hope it's not true. We've got enough troubles to deal with in this world...'

#################

Korra woke with a groan as there was a knock at the door, sitting up with the blankets clutched to her chest.

'...what is it?'

'It's morning, Korra,' Tenzin said and she felt a blush rising to her cheeks.

'...right, right,' she said. 'We'll be there in a few minutes...'

She waited until Tenzin's footsteps retreated, reaching over to shake Asami by the shoulder.

'Come on,' she said. 'We need to get up...'

Asami grunted, rolling over as Korra slipped out of bed, grabbing her clothes from the floor.

'Uhh...what's the rush...?'

'It's morning. Come on, we need to get moving...'

'I'd get moving a bit faster if someone hadn't keep me up until past midnight...'

'What can I say?' Korra said, grabbing Asami's underwear and throwing it to her. 'I can't help it if you're irresistible...'

#################

'What are we doing?' Milo asked, stifling a yawn as he lounged in one of the chairs in the lookout dome above the bridge.

'We're going to try and locate the source of the signals,' Jinora said, without looking up from the book that she was reading. 'By recording the strength of the signals from three different locations, we can plot a series of concentric rings that should help us to localise it...'

'Okay...' Milo said, his brow furrowing in concentration. 'I don't get it...'

'It's like listening to a sound from several places to work out where it's coming from,' Rohan said and Milo grinned.

'Got it...'

'What are they talking about down there?' Ikki moaned, from where she was pressing her nose against the glass, staring down at the bridge. 'Come on, let's get going...'

'Settle down, Ikki,' Pema said, tightening the straps on her chair's harness. 'We'll leave in a few minutes...'

#################

'Alright,' Asami said, as she sat in the _Renaissance's_ pilot's seat, running her hands over the controls, flipping switches and adjusting dials. Mako, Bolin and Tenzin were already seated at the sensors stations at the back of the bridge, while Korra hovered over her shoulder.

'You should sit down,' Asami said, gesturing to the empty co-pilot's seat. Korra hesitated before slipping into the chair and fastening her safety harness as Asami powered up the engines. With a faint hum, the _Renaissance_ rose of the ground, moving away from Zaofu.

'We're approaching the first set of co-ordinates,' Asami said, glancing over her shoulder at Mako. 'Are you getting anything...?'

'Hold on,' Mako said, pressing his hand to his earpiece. 'Yeah. Here we go. Bolin...'

'Got it,' Bolin said. 'Signal strength puts it at around 5 kilometres away...'

'Alright,' Asami said. 'I'm setting course for the next co-ordinates. We should be there in about 20 minutes...'

'Let's hope this works,' Korra muttered and Asami grinned.

'It'll work,' she said. 'Would you like to take the controls for a while...?'

'Uhh...'

'It's alright,' Asami said. 'I trust you...'

'Okay. What do I do...?'

#################

'There you are,' Asami said, as they moved away from the second set of co-ordinates after taking the signal sounding. 'You're getting the hang of it...'

'If you say so,' Korra muttered, maintaining her white knuckle grip on the controls, just as Milo called down from the observation dome.

'Look. Another airship...'

'What...?' Asami said, her head whipping round to see a black shape outlined against the sky. 'Where did that come from...?'

'It just appeared on our scanners,' Mako said. 'And it looks like they're heading towards us...'

'Everyone strap in,' Asami ordered, as the airship drew closer. Now that it was nearer, she could see that it has been painted dark red, with a stylised flame emblem on the side. As she watched, the hatch on the side opened, revealing figures dressed in rough clothes and crude metal masks. One by one, they leapt from the airship, fire igniting from their hands to launch them onto the deck of the _Renaissance._

'Take over,' Korra said, unbuckling her harness and scrambling up from her seat.

'Hey,' Asami yelled, grabbing the controls as Korra moved towards the hatch that lead out onto the deck, followed by Mako, Bolin and Tenzin. Shouldering the door open, Korra thrust out her hand, a blast of air knocking one of the firebenders back into the hull. Mako charged past her, launching into a spinning kick that caught another firebender across the face, knocking his mask off. Springing over the unconscious man, Mako unleashed a fireball that knocked another firebender over the edge and he would have fallen if he hadn't used his bending to blast himself back into their airship. Meanwhile, Bolin was wrestling with muscular firebender who had him in a headlock. Breaking the grip, Bolin shifted his weight, slamming him to the floor with a shoulder throw. A portly firebender charged at Korra, a fireblade extended from the back of his fist. Dodging back, Korra caught him in the stomach with a kick that lifted him off his feet. Springing back to his feet, he launched a stream of fire towards her and she moved her arms in a circle, gathering it into a ball and sending it back at him. The ball struck him in the chest, his heavy leather clothes protecting him from the heat, but it sent him staggering backwards.

'Fall back,' he growled, vaulting over the edge of the railing and blasting back to the deck of their airship, followed by the remaining firebender. The hatch of the airship ground shut and it began to turn away.

'No, you don't,' Mako said, launching a fireball that took out one of their engines.

'What?' He said, seeing the other's expressions. 'They should be able to land safely...'

'What do you think that was about...?' Bolin asked and Korra shrugged.

'No idea. We'll radio Zaofu and ask Suyin to send out a search party to look for survivors. Maybe that way we can find some answers. And we have a job to do...'

#################

' _Come in, Renaissance...'_

'Go ahead...' Mako said, pressing his hand to his headset.

' _This is Wei. We've reached the airship crash site and we've got the crew in our custody. We'll take them back to Zaofu until we can turn them over to the United Forces...'_

'Thanks,' Mako said. 'We should be back in under two hours. Renaissance out...'

'Approaching final co-ordinates,' Asami said. 'Bolin...?'

'Got it,' Bolin said. 'Looks like the signal is coming from 2 kilometres away...'

'Alright,' Asami said, getting up and moving over to the map board at the back of the bridge, plotting the three signals on the chart. 'That looks like an area of about two miles...'

'So, now what?' Bolin asked.

'Now, we search on foot,' Asami replied.

#################

The Renaissance touched down, Korra leading the others down the ramp and looking around.

'Jinora? Can you sense anything...?'

'Yes,' Jinora said, closing her eyes for a moment. 'This way...'

She lead them across the grass into a small grove, stopping and turning in a slow circle.

'It's here,' she said and Korra closed her eyes. The air seemed to hum with a faint sense of power.

'Alright,' she said. 'Everyone stand back...'

After a moment, the others backed up a few paces and Korra took a deep breath, her eyes glowing white as she entered the Avatar State, a white hot rush of energy spreading through every cell. Stepping forward, she extended her hands and pulled them apart, a rip appearing in the air in front of her. As it stabilised, she found herself looking at a dingy street, the corner piled with rubbish. She glanced over at the others, turning back to see a shabbily dressed man walk past. He stopped when he saw them and Korra quickly sealed the portal, turning to the others.

'Well, we've found it,' Asami said. 'What now...?'

'Isn't it obvious?' Korra asked. 'We're going through...'

'I thought you might say that,' Asami said, with a smile. 'Come on. I've got something to show you all...'

#################

'I thought that things would move quickly, so I put these together,' Asami said, picking up a compact grey pack and putting it on the table with a thump. 'Survival kits. Blankets, water, emergency rations and a small medical kit. Also, there's these,' she added, picking up a small white box and opening it, revealing eight curved, silver objects. 'Miniaturised radios. Short range and experimental, but they should let us keep in touch...'

'This is great,' Mako said. 'But, what are we actually going to do...?'

'We either need to find the firebender who went through and convince him to come back with us, or we need to close the portal permanently. Make whatever preparations you need. We'll leave in an hour...'

#################

'You're going,' Pema said, as she closed the door behind her, Tenzin looking up from where he was packing.

'I have to, Pema. Korra needs me...'

'So do we, Tenzin,' Pema said, sitting next to him. 'You've helped Korra grow into a strong Avatar, but you have other responsibilities, now. Here, with your family...'

'You're right,' Tenzin said, with a sigh. 'I've tried to deny it, but you're right. Korra doesn't need my help. Not anymore...'

'That's something to be proud of, Tenzin,' Pema said, kissing him on the cheek.

 **Thank you for reading. I hope you enjoyed it. Any reviews, comments or constructive criticisms are very welcome.**


	3. Chapter 3

**All characters and concepts are the property of their respective owners. No copyright infringement is intended, or profit made, from this work of fiction.**

'Alright,' Korra said, as she tightened the straps on her backpack, turning to face the others. 'Everyone ready to go...?'

'Korra,' Tenzin said. 'I...won't be going with you...'

'What?! Tenzin, I need you...'

'No, Korra,' Tenzin said, with a sad smile. 'And someone needs to stay here to watch over this world. Besides, if something happens, only Jinora and I can open the portal to bring you back...'

'I...you're right. We'll report in every 24 hours,' Korra said and Tenzin nodded. Taking a deep breath, Korra reached out to open the portal, revealing the same street that they had seen the previous day.

'Come on,' she said, stepping through, followed by Mako, Bolin and Asami. Quickly, Korra sealed the portal and looked around. The street was dingy and dark, black bags lying on the pavement, the smell telling her that she would rather not know what was in them.

'What now?' Bolin asked.

'We need to get our bearings,' Korra said. 'This way...'

She lead them along the street and out onto a large open plaza, tall buildings towering above them so high that she couldn't see the top. Moving between them were lines of what looked like flying Satomobiles, the air thick with a hot smell that made her nose itch. There were a few people around, walking quickly across the plaza or heading for the buildings that lead off it, dressed in rough, well-worn clothes. Most were ignoring them, but they were getting a few curious glances.

'I think we should move on,' Asami said. 'We don't want to attract to much attention...'

Korra was about to agree when there was a wail of sirens and four of the flying cars that they had seen swept down. They were painted in blue with hatched stripes along the side and flashing lights on the roofs. One of them hovered over the plaza, while the others landed, disgorging armoured and helmeted figures.

' _This is a police control,'_ a voice grated from a loudspeaker on the airborne vehicle. ' _This is not an exercise. Prepare to present your IDs for inspection...'_

'Present your IDs,' one of the armoured figures said as he approached them, his hand resting on the handle of the nightstick on his belt.

'I...don't have one,' Korra said and the man stepped forward, reaching for his belt and taking out a pair of handcuffs.

'Failure to carry an official ID is an offence,' he said. 'You're under arres...hey!'

He exclaimed sentence as Korra grabbed his wrist, sweeping his legs out from under him.

'Freeze' another of the officers yelled, drawing what Korra assumed was a weapon from over her shoulder and aiming it at her.

'Run!' Korra yelled, knocking the officers off her feet with a blast of wind that sent her weapon clattering away. As they ran, Asami removed her gauntlet from her backpack, buckling it on. Another police officer appeared in their path and Asami thrust out her fist, a crack of electricity knocking him to the ground, where he lay twitching.

'This way,' Korra called, gesturing to an open doorway to their left. 'Quickly...'

Dodging through the doorway, they found themselves standing in a corridor with pitted metal walls, lit by dim lighting. However, it was a dead end.

'We're trapped,' Asami said. 'What do we do, now...?'

'We fight,' Korra said, just as a hatchway behind them ground open, revealing an orange haired woman in a white jumpsuit.

'Inside,' she said. 'Quickly...'

'Come on,' Korra said, the others following her through the hatch and it closed behind them.

'Who are you?' Bolin asked and the woman held up her hand for silence.

'Quiet. Follow me...'

 _###################_

'This way,' the woman said, peering around the corner of the alley as the Police car moved on. 'Quickly...'

Together, they hurried across the street towards an apartment block, the woman punching a code into the keypad.

'In,' she said, pulling open the door. 'Hurry...'

Inside, they found themselves standing in a short corridor, with a set of metal doors at the end.

'Thank you for the rescue,' Korra said, as the woman crossed to the doors and pressed the button next to them. 'I'm Korra. What's your name...?'

'...Leeloo,' the woman said, as the doors slid open, revealing a small room beyond. 'Come on...'

Exchanging glances, Korra and the others stepped in, the doors closing behind them as Leeloo pressed another of the buttons on the wall. There was a jolt and Korra felt her stomach drop.

 _The room...moves..._

Before she could ask Leeloo about it, the doors opened and Leeloo lead them out into corridor lit by harsh white lights. Crossing to a door that looked identical to the others that lined the corridor, she knocked twice. After a few seconds, the door was opened by a balding man with grey hair, dressed in a dark grey shirt and trousers.

'Come in. Quickly,' he said, stepping back to let them in, closing the door behind them.

'Cornelius...'

'Leeloo...? Are you alright...? What's going on...?'

'That's a long story,' Korra said and Cornelius turned towards her.

'Well,' he said. 'Perhaps we should sit down and you can start at the beginning...'

Korra nodded and they sat down at the table in the middle of the room, Cornelius and Leeloo taking the chairs at either end.

'I'm Korra. This is Bolin, Mako and Asami. We...had a little trouble with the police. They wanted to see our IDs...'

'Yes, they've become increasingly...zealous over the last few years...'

'What I want to know,' Asami said, turning to Leeloo, 'is how did you know where we were...?'

'I sensed you,' Leeloo said, turning to Korra. 'I can feel the Four Elements in you. And Fire and Earth in you,' she added, glancing at Bolin and Mako...'

'It's...not unusual where we come from...' Mako said.

'We're looking for someone,' Korra said, standing up. 'We never meant to cause any trouble. Thank you for your help. We'll leave, now...'

'Hold on,' Cornelius said. 'It's too dangerous, now. The police will still be looking for you. We have another apartment downstairs where you can stay for tonight. We'll talk about this more in the morning...'

'...alright...'

 _###################_

'You'll be safe here,' Cornelius said, as he lead them downstairs to the other appartment. 'There are showers through there and food in the refrigerator. We can talk in the morning...'

Cornelius headed back upstairs, the door closing behind him as Bolin collapsed onto the couch with a groan.

'Do you think we can trust him?' Asami asked, pulling aside the curtain and glancing down at the street.

'We don't have a lot of choice,' Korra said and Mako sat forward.

'Maybe, but we can't afford to let our guard down. You and Asami get some sleep. Bolin and I will take the first watch...'

'...alright. Wake us in five hours...'

 _###################_

'Are you okay?' Asami asked as she unlaced her boots and struggled out of her trousers, climbing onto the bottom bunk.

'Oh, sure,' Korra said. 'We're on the run from the police in a strange world and we're no closer to finding the firebender. This is getting off to a great start...'

'We couldn't find him if we got arrested,' Asami said and Korra sighed.

'...I suppose...'

'Anyway, we can't do anything about it, now. And we need to get some rest...'

'You're right,' Korra said, with a sigh. 'Hopefully, things will be better tomorrow...'

 _###################_

'Doesn't this place ever sleep?' Mako asked, as he glanced out of the window and Bolin shrugged.

'It's definitely not Republic City,' Bolin said. 'Why would the firebender come here...?'

'We can find out when we ask him...'

 **Thank you for reading. I hope you enjoyed it. Any reviews, comments or constructive criticisms are very welcome.**


	4. Chapter 4

**All characters and concepts are the property of their respective owners. No copyright infringement is intended, or profit made, from this work of fiction.**

'Jinora...'

Hearing her name, Jinora looked up from the book she was reading to see Korra sitting cross-legged on the floor opposite her, looking faintly transparent with a blue glow around her.

'Korra!' Jinora said, scrambling round the table to kneel in front of her. 'Are you alright? Where are you...?'

'We're fine,' Korra said. 'We're safe.'

'Have you found the firebender...?'

'Not yet,' Korra said. 'We'll start the search once it's light...'

'...okay,' Jinora said and Korra gave her a soft smile.

'Don't worry,' Korra said. 'We'll be back in a few days...'

'...okay,' Jinora repeated, as Korra faded away. She sat there for a moment, before standing up and going to find her Father.

'Dad...'

 _##################_

Asami woke with a groan, sitting up and swinging her legs out of bed.

'Korra?' She asked. 'Are you awake...?'

When there was no answer, she stood up to find that the bunk above her was empty. Pulling on her trousers and grabbing her jacket, she left the room and padded barefoot down the corridor to the lounge. Inside, Korra was sitting cross-legged on the floor with her eyes closed. Quietly, she sat down on the couch and Korra's eyes opened.

'Sorry,' Asami said. 'I was trying not to disturb you...'

'You didn't,' Korra said, moving to sit next to her, resting her head on her shoulder. 'I was just contacting Jinora...'

'Where are Bolin and Mako?'

'I couldn't sleep,' Korra said. 'So...'

'So, you thought you'd take the watch by yourself? You should have woken me...'

'Sure. So neither of us get any sleep,' Korra said and Asami shrugged.

'Fair point,' she conceded, as Korra snuggled closer and she wrapped an arm around her shoulders. 'Any ideas how we're going to find this firebender...?'

'...no,' Korra admitted. 'You...?'

'Not yet,' Asami said. 'But, we'll think of something...'

 _##################_

Korra was staring down from the apartment window, where a man was crossing the plaza below. As she watched, two men stepped out of an alley, one man grabbing him while the other punched him in the stomach. As he collapsed, they began kicking him where he lay. With a last kick, they turned and walked away, leaving him lying on the street.

 _I hate this place..._ Korra thought, turning away from the window as she heard the door behind her open, Bolin and Mako stepping out of their room.

'Morning,' Bolin said, stifling a yawn, as he and Mako took their seats on the other couch.

'What's the plan?' Mako asked.

'We need to find the firebender,' Korra said and Mako frowned.

'Any ideas how we can do that...?'

'Maybe. If he's the only Bender here apart from us, I might be able to sense him, if I meditate...'

'Alright,' Mako said. 'I'll stay here, just in case...'

'While you do that,' Asami said, 'Bolin and I can do a little reconnaissance. We also need to know if the police are still looking for us...'

'Alright,' Korra said. 'First, we need to speak to Cornelius...'

 _##################_

'Thank you, David,' Cornelius said, as he poured several cups of coffee from the pot that he had brought from the small kitchen.

'Thanks,' Korra said, accepting the cup that Cornelius gave her, the faintly spicy aroma making her stomach growl. 'Thank you for your hospitality. And your help...'

'You're welcome, of course,' Cornelius said. 'May I ask what you intend to do, now...?'

'We came here to find someone,' Korra said and Cornelius nodded.

'You said as much last night...'

'Right,' Korra said. 'Well, the thing is, he shouldn't be here. We need to find him and convince him to come back with us...'

'Alright,' Cornelius said. 'But, this is a very large city and it sounds like you don't know where he is. How do you intend to find him...?'

'He's a firebender,' Korra said. 'Like Mako. If I can meditate, it's possible I can sense where he is...'

'And, we need to see if the police are still looking for us,' Asami added.

'Very well. It should be safe by now, but I think David should accompany you, just in case...'

'Alright,' Korra said. 'Let's get started...'

 _##################_

'What are those people doing?' Bolin asked, glancing sideways at the figure lying in the doorway on the other side of the street, heavily wrapped in coats and tattered blankets.

'A lot of people are homeless, here,' David said and Asami frowned.

'Why doesn't your government do something about it...?' she demanded and David sighed.

'They do what they can,' he said. 'But, it's a big city and there's not enough money to help everyone...'

 _##################_

Korra opened her eyes, finding herself floating above the city, the buildings stretching out beneath her. Even though she knew that she was still sitting in the lounge back in the apartment and that it was only her astral self that was here, she still felt a second of panic before she realised that she wasn't falling. Focusing, she began to drift over the cityscape, stretching out her senses. Even from this distance, she can sense Mako back in the apartment and Bolin walking along the street a few blocks away.

'Korra...?'

'Whoa,' Korra said, dropping a few feet before getting a grip on herself and managing to turn round to see Leeloo floating next to her. Like Korra, her astral form glowed faintly as she drifted closer.

'Is he here?' She asked. 'The firebender...?'

'I'm not sure,' Korra admitted. 'I can feel something, but it's faint...'

She _could_ feel something, like a prickle at the back of her mind, growing stronger as they drifted east towards a part of the city that was dominated by large, squat buildings surrounded by a dark haze of fumes.

'Where's that?' she asked.

'Manufacturing District 39,' Leeloo said, as they drew closer and the energy that Korra had been feeling grew stronger.

'Here's there,' Korra said. 'Come on. We've got work to do...'

 _##################_

'It's looks like we're in the clear,' Asami said, as they were returning to the apartment. 'The police seem to have stopped looking for us...'

'I hope so,' David said. 'But, they'll have you on record somewhere...'

'Gimme the cash...'

Asami's head whipped round to see a wild-eyed, unkempt man behind them, levelling some sort of weapon at them.

'What's he holding?' Asami asked, out of the corner of her mouth...'

'...a gun,' David said, backing up until the man swung the gun towards him.

'Is it dangerous...?'

'Yes...'

'Gimme the cash,' the man repeated, just as Bolin stepped forward, stomping his foot on the pavement. The ground cracked beneath the man's feet, sending him stumbling, the gun clattering away. Before he could recover, Asami's boot lashed out to connect with his jaw, knocking him out.

'Wow,' David said, staring open mouthed for a moment, before pulling himself together. 'Come on, we need to get back...'

 _##################_

Korra opened her eyes to see Leeloo sitting cross-legged on the floor of the apartment in front of her, while Mako was seated on the couch with his arms folded.

'Well?' Mako said, as she got to her feet, fighting a sense of disorientation. 'Did you find him...?'

'I know where he is,' Korra said, turning to Leeloo. 'How can we get to this Manufacturing District...?'

'You will need IDs to get through the security checkpoints,' Leeloo said. 'Cornelius can help...'

 _##################_

'Yes, I can get some IDs for you,' Cornelius said, as they were seated around the table again. 'But, it will take some time...'

'Thank you,' Korra said, hesitating for a second. '...why are you helping us...?'

'It's...well, it's sort of...what we do...'

'What do you mean...?' Mako asked.

'We run...a network...that helps people who have nowhere else to go,' Cornelius said, standing up. 'I have to make a call and David will need to take your pictures...'

 _##################_

Korra looked up as there was a knock at the apartment door, Cornelius opening it to admit a broad-shouldered, balding man dressed in a dark grey jacket and trousers.

'Korben,' Cornelius said. 'Thank you for coming...'

'No problem,' Korben said, taking his jacket off and hanging it over the back of the chair. 'I've got the IDs you asked for...'

'Korben!'

Hearing the shriek, Korra turned to see Leeloo bursting through the door from the back of the apartment, wrapping him in a fierce hug.

'Hey, Leeloo,' Korben said, his face breaking into a grin as he returned the hug.

'This is Korben,' Cornelius said, catching the expression on Korra's face. 'He'll get you into District 39...'

 _##################_

'This is it,' Korben said, glancing back at Korra, who was jammed into the rear seat of his cab with Asami. Bolin and Mako sat opposite them in the rear facing seats, looking equally uncomfortable. 'We've just got to pass the security check point and we'll be in the clear...'

Manoeuvring into the line of traffic heading for the checkpoint, he set the cab to Auto and reached under his seat, pulling out a handgun.

'What's that for?' Mako asked and Korben turned to look at him.

'In case you haven't been paying attention, these IDs you're carrying are fake. My buddy Finger does good work, but there's always a chance that the Government have changed their codes. Now, shut up and keep your cool...'

Slipping the gun back under his seat, he disengaged the Auto as the line started to move, guiding them into a hanger, the door grinding shut behind them. As her eyes adjusted to the dim lighting, Korra saw that four armed police officers standing against the walls. One of them approached and Korben rolled down the window.

'ID,' the officer snapped and Korben handed it to him, the officer snatching it and plugging it into his portable reader.

'Korben Dallas. Licenced cab driver. 12 points remaining on your licence...'

Korben returned his stare blankly as he removed the ID and handed it back to him.

'Please open your passenger door...'

'Sure,' Korben said, pressing a switch on the console and the door ground open.

'IDs,' The Officer demanded, Asami handing them over.

'Purpose of visit?' He asked as he scanned them through his reader.

'We're looking for someone,' Bolin said. 'Someone from where we come from. We think he came here a few weeks ago and...'

'Alright, alright. I didn't ask for your life story,' the Officer snapped, handing back their IDs. 'On your way...'

He stepped back and Korben closed the passenger door, guiding the cab out of the other end of the hanger. After weaving through the traffic for a few minutes, he settled the cab down into another hanger next to a battered green air car, shutting down the engine.

'This is it,' Korben said, gesturing to the door on the other side of the hanger. 'There's a small apartment through there and you've each got 500 credits on your IDs...'

'Thanks for your help,' Korra said, as they climbed out of the cab and Korben reversed out of the hanger, swinging into the traffic with a blare of horns.

'What do we do, now?' Asami asked, as they stepped into the apartment.

'I'm not sure,' Korra admitted as Bolin flipped on the tv and Mako frowned.

'Come on, bro,' he said. 'We don't have time for this...

 _...receiving confirmation that a massive security operation is now in effect. In the last hour, government sources have confirmed an attack has taken place at a supply depot in District 39...'_

'You were saying?' Bolin asked, pointing at the image on the screen, which showed a dark-haired man using a jet of fire to destroy a police car.

'...okay...'

 **Thank you for reading. I hope you enjoyed it. Any reviews, comments or constructive criticisms are very welcome.**


	5. Chapter 5

**All characters and concepts are the property of their respective owners. No copyright infringement is intended, or profit made, from this work of fiction.**

' _District 39 is still in lockdown following the attack on the supply depot, with government officials yet to issue a statement. This has been the third incident of this kind in the last two weeks...'_

'I guess we found him,' Bolin said, turning off the viewer.

'He said there had been other attacks,' Mako added. 'If we dig into them, it might give us the lead we need to find him...'

'Alright,' Korra said. 'You and Asami focus on that. Meanwhile, Bolin and I will take a look at the supply depot...'

'The area's in lockdown,' Mako said. 'How are you going to get there...?'

'I've got an idea...'

 _#################_

'Whohoo,' Korra yelled, as she sailed across the gap between the two buildings, her airbending carrying her to the other side. Behind her, Bolin summoned a slab of stone to bridge the gap, landing in a crouch behind her.

'This is crazy,' he said and Korra grinned.

'All the things we've done and this is what freaks you out?' She said, moving to the edge of the roof and looking down. 'There it is...'

Bolin joined her, looking down at the supply depot, where three bulky metal containers sat, surrounded by a wire fence, the whole area bathed in the pale glow of spotlights. Two police officers stood on guard by the gate and three more could be seen patrolling outside the perimeter.

'Why would he attack a government facility...?' Bolin asked and Korra shrugged.

'I don't know. But, from what Cornelius said, I'm not sure we can trust them. Either way, we won't learn anything from up here. Come on...'

 _#################_

'All the raids seem to have the same MO,' Mako said, sitting back from the terminal with a groan, massaging his neck. 'They've all hit government storehouses, but the only things taken were preserved food and rations, medical supplies, clothing and basic equipment. There was a lot of high-value material left behind...'

'So?' Asami said, without looking up from her terminal.

'So, those items clearly had more value to our firebender. All we need to do is work out why...'

'And, how will that help...?'

'Because it doesn't add up. These raids were well planned and, according to the reports, there were fatalities...'

'Who...?'

'Three security guards and a beat cop who responded to the scene. That's not the point. The point is, he's willing to kill to achieve his goal, but all he takes are basic supplies. It doesn't make sense. What are you doing over there, anyway...?'

'Hacking into the police database...'

'Is that...a good idea...?'

'I know what I'm doing, Mako. I've copied all the visual and photographic evidence that they have, as well as any files and reports that relate to the raids...'

'...send them to my terminal,' Mako said, with a sigh.

 _#################_

Korra and Bolin landed lightly in the shadows, Korra using her airbending to slow their descent.

'Come on,' Korra hissed, motioning for Bolin to keep low as they crept towards the containers at the centre of the two police officers on the gate had their backs to them and she could see the flashlights of the patrolling guards in the distance. Reaching the container, they squeezed past the melted remains of the door, ducking through quickly. Inside, they found rows of dark green metal boxes, some with their lids open, plastic packets scattered across the floor.

'What is this stuff?' Bolin asked, in a whisper, as he picked up one of the packets.

"Reconsituted chicken sandwich. CONSUME IMMEDIATELY ONCE OPENED."

'I think they're ration packs,' Korra said, kneeling down and turning over a square metal box. 'Bumi says they use something similar in the United Forces. This is a medical kit...'

'Why would this firebender want stuff like this?' Bolin asked and Korra shrugged.

'I don't know,' she admitted, stopping when she heard footsteps outside.

'Quick,' she hissed, ducking behind the crates with Bolin as a police officer appeared in the doorway of the container. Korra froze, holding her breath as he shone his flashlight inside, before turning and continuing on his way.

'That was too close,' Korra said, turning to Bolin. 'Come on. We need to get back...'

 _#################_

'We're back,' Bolin said, vaulting onto the couch with a grin. 'Oh, it was awesome. We ran across the rooftops and snuck in under the cops' noses...'

He trailed off as he saw the others expressions, his grin fading.

'Uh...so, did you find out anything...?'

'Not much,' Asami said. 'But, we're still going through the police files, so we might find something that will help...'

'We do know something,' Mako said, looking up from his terminal. 'He's been using the portals to infiltrate the depots...'

'How do you know that?' Korra asked.

'These depots have some pretty sophisticated security systems. Motion sensors, chain fences and surveillance cameras on the entrances. And he was able to bypass them all...'

'It would explain the disturbances in the Spirit World,' Asami added and Korra nodded.

'True, but it doesn't help us to find him...'

'No,' Mako said. 'But, this might. I was checking our firebender's known associates from his police file and one of them runs a workshop a few blocks from here...'

#################

'Kuang-Min?' Korra said, as she lead the others into the workshop, a rotund, balding man looking up from where he was kneeling next to a battered air car, a wrench in one hand.

'Yes? Can I help you...?'

'Do you know this man?' Mako asked, holding up a picture of the firebender.

'Yes,' Kuang-Min said, standing up and putting the wrench back into his toolkit, wiping his hands on a greasy rag.

'Do you know where we can find him?' Korra asked and Kuang-Min's eyes narrowed.

'Why do you want to know...?'

'We're not the Police,' Asami said. 'We just need to speak to him...'

'I don't know where he is,' he said, folding his arms across his chest. 'And even if I did, I wouldn't tell people that I don't know...'

'...alright,' Korra said. 'If you see him, tell him that the Avatar needs to speak to him...'

Kiang-Min watched them go, before picking up the phone and dialling quickly.

'...it's me. There was someone here asking for you. Said she was the Avatar...'

#################

Korra sat cross-legged on the roof, with her eyes closed, trying to meditate. She could hear the sounds of the city around her, the hum of air cars and the blare of horns, as well of the dull smack of Asami's fists striking the punching bag.

'Avatar Korra.'

Hearing the voice, she opened her eyes to see the firebender standing on the rooftop. He was dressed in a grey trousers and a red tunic that couldn't hide the broadness of his shoulders, his black hair pulled back into a tight braid.

'How did you get here?' He asked, as Korra came to her feet.

'We found the portal that you opened,' she said. 'You need to come back with us...'

'Why?'

'Your portals are causing a disturbance in the Spirit World,' Korra said. 'You need to stop using them...'

'I can't,' he said and Korra frowned, folding her arms.

'Why?' she asked, mimicking his tone and his eyes narrowed.

'If you want to know,' he said, 'you need to come with me...'

'She's not going anywhere,' Asami said, strapping on her gauntlet and aiming it him. Clenching his fists, the firebender dropped into a crouch, flames bursting from his hands, just as Mako and Bolin came charging up the stairs from the apartment.

'Wait,' Korra said, quickly getting between them. 'We need to trust each other. If there's something you need me to see, then you can show all of us...'

 _#################_

'What's your name?' Korra asked, as the firebender lead them along the dark, damp tunnels.

'Ch'ae Sung-Jin,' He said, as he pulled open a corroded hatch and ducked through. Korra exchanged a glance with the others before following him, emerging into a chaotic jumble of crude huts built from rotting wood and corroded metal, rough tents strung between them. As her eyes adjusted to the gloom, she could make out people sitting hunched around fires that had been lit in metal drums or watching them from inside their dwellings.

'What is this place?' Korra asked.

'There are many places like this in the city,' Ch'ae said. 'People come here when they have nowhere else to go. The government does not care and they have no food or medicine...'

'That's why you've been stealing from the storehouses?' Mako asked and he nodded.

'I have no choice,' he said. 'I cannot stand by and do nothing...'

'What about the men you killed?' Korra asked.

'Their deaths were regrettable,' he said. 'However, these people are relying on me. That is why I cannot leave, not now that I have seen their suffering. My sources have located another storehouse and we will be launching the raid tonight. If you are truly the Avatar, you will help us...'

 **Thank you for reading. I hope you enjoyed it. Any reviews, comments or constructive criticisms are very welcome.**


	6. Chapter 6

**All characters and concepts are the property of their respective owners. No copyright infringement is intended, or profit made, from this work of fiction.**

The air hummed as Team Avatar and Sung-Jin stepped through the portal, finding themselves inside the dimly lit supply depot.

'This way,' Sung-Jin said, leading them towards the shadowy bulk of the container, unleashing a jet of fire that melted the lock, Bolin using his metal bending to pull the doors open.

'Grab what you can,' Sung-Jin said. 'Food, medicine, clothing...'

'I don't like this,' Mako said, as Sung-Jun opened the nearest container. 'There's no security...'

'There's nothing to worry about,' Sung-Jun replied. 'We need to hurry. The portal won't stay open for long...'

 _ **################**_

'Sir,' the security guard said, looking up from his terminal at Lieutenant Shent. 'A motion sensor alarm has been triggered at supply depot 6A-H...'

'Bring up the feed, Tanonas,' Shent ordered.

'Yes, sir,' Tanonas said, the main viewer flickering to life, showing four figures taking supplies from the containers and stuffing them into backpacks.

'Run their identities,' Shent said and Tanonas' fingers flew across the keys.

'Only one match, sir. No ID, but his image matches the perpetrator from the other raids...'

'Keep monitoring them,' Shent said, activating his radio. 'Security centre to Air Control. Priority request for gunship support...'

 _ **################**_

'That's it,' Korra said, stuffing the last packet into her backpack and zipping it closed.

'Time to go,' Sung-Jun said, hoisting his own backpack onto his shoulders, moving towards the door of the container. 'All clear...'

Quickly, they scrambled out of the container, heading for the portal.

'Does anyone else hear that?' Bolin asked.

'Hear what?' Korra asked and then they all heard it, a faint _whup-whup-whup_ noise growing louder.

'What's that?' Mako asked, looking round to see a sleek-nosed aircraft rising over the buildings and heading towards them.

'Run,' Sung-Jun yelled, sprinting towards the portal, the others close behind him as the aircraft opened fire.

'Go!' Korra yelled, dodging the hail of bullets, summoning a blast of air to knock the aircraft into a spin. As the aircraft righted itself, she turned and dived through the portal just before it snapped closed. As her eyes adjusted to the gloom, Korra found herself back in the tunnels outside the shanty town.

'Is everyone alright?' She asked and Bolin got to his feet, dusting himself off.

'We're fine...'

'Korra!' Mako said and she whipped round to see him kneeling next to Sung-Jun, who was propped against the tunnel wall. Even in the gloom of the tunnel, Korra could see the blood staining his tunic.

'Sung-Jun!' Korra said, kneeling next to him and bending water from a puddle next to her. 'Hold on...'

Manipulating the water, it glowed faintly blue as she wrapped it round his chest.

'Korra,' Sung-Jun said, his voice a hacking cough. 'Get...the supplies to...the people...'

'Keep still,' Korra said. 'I need to focus...'

 _I wish Kya was here. Dammit, I'm not a healer..._

'Please,' he whispered. 'They need...my help...'

His voice trailed off and his head slumped sideways.

'No...' Korra said, as Mako reached out to check his pulse, shaking his head.

'What'll we do now?' Bolin asked.

 _ **################**_

'What will you do now?' Cornelius asked, as two of his clerics carried Sung-Jun's shrouded body out of the tunnels on a stretcher.

'We'll need to take his body home,' Korra said and Cornelius nodded.

'Of course,' he said, holding out his hand and Korra shook it.

'Safe journey, Avatar Korra...'

 **Thank you for reading. I hope you enjoyed it. Any reviews, comments or constructive criticisms are very welcome.**


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